Report: Patriots still hope to re-sign Bennett; Jaguars, Raiders in play

The New England Patriots are still looking to re-sign Martellus Bennett, but will have competition for the tight end's services in the form of the Oakland Raiders and the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Boston Globe's Ben Volin reports.

Bennett will be an unrestricted free agent March 9 after spending one season in New England and is widely considered to be the best tight end available on the open market.

The Raiders could be an intriguing option for Bennett, as Oakland has one of the most explosive young offenses in the league and is in need of a top-tier threat at tight end.

The Jaguars spent big on Julius Thomas in free agency just two seasons ago, but despite his poor play, it appears Jacksonville - who has the third-most cap space - isn't wary about handing out another significant contract to a tight end.

The 30-year-old turned down a contract from the Patriots before the season worth $7 million per year, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported in December, so after a strong 2016 campaign, it's likely he'll look to become one of the highest-paid players at his position.